BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 30 April 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has expressed confidence that Malaysia and Brunei can finalise the land and maritime border demarcation between both countries.
He did not give a specific time frame for the matter to be finalised but said the process was progressing smoothly.
Najib, who earlier had a four-eyed meeting with the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, told reporters that the border demarcation was among issues discussed during a one-hour meeting.
“This was among specific matters that were discussed. We will continue this process until things are finalised,” he told a news conference with Malaysian journalists here last night.
Asked whether the Limbang issue was discussed at the meeting, Najib said: “We discussed it in the context of land and maritime boundaries. We did not mention Limbang.”
Najib said that during the meeting, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah expressed satisfaction over the state of bilateral relations between both countries and hoped it could be enhanced further.
Other issues discussed in the meeting included the double taxation agreement, which both countries hoped to finalise soon.
“His Majesty also expressed interest for greater investment by Brunei investors in Malaysia through the Brunei Investment Agency, specifically the construction of a five-star hotel near the Kuala Lumpur City Centre,” he said.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah also hoped that more Malaysian ministers would visit Brunei to get to know their counterparts.
“This, we will do, from time to time,” Najib said, adding that the Brunei sultan had also requested for the next round of Malaysia-Brunei annual consultation to be held in August.
Najib also spoke on the need to enhance people-to-people relations and cooperation in tourism, which he said had huge potential.
Among the areas which both countries could explore further to boost tourism was the provision of joint tourism packages, he added. — Bernama
